Description

A fun splitter hand crack on a not-quite vertical face with a wide section near the top.

The lower part of the crack is great hands, then it opens up wide for five or six feet.

However, there are some face features and irregularities on the edge of the wide section that make it easier, and the left corner crack is close enough at this point to get a good hand and foot jam. (In other words, offwidth technique not required.)

After the wide section the crack closes down again to hands for another five feet or so to the anchor ledge.

Location

The crack is located on a west/southwest face with a hand crack (Red Warrior) in the corner to the left. Wide Boy is in the same alcove.

Looking down, 500 W street in Saint George is just slightly west. The belay area is large, flat, and well-used so it should be hard to miss.

Protection

Mostly hand-sized gear with optional larger. I placed the following Camalot C4s: (1) .75, (3) 1, (3) 2, (1) 3. There is at least one spot where a number 4 would fit but I chose to motor on past the spot without stopping.

The anchor is above a ledge and consists of 3 bolts and hangers with (smallish) chain from two hangers joined with a single quicklink, and webbing from the 3rd hanger joined to the chains' quicklink with another quicklink.

The offwidth takes a nice armbar, and by time your feet hit the off-width section you have some crimpers and then the thin hand crack. 1st offwidth section I've ever done that didn't amount to alot of groveling and cursing (coincidentally it was also my 1st offwidth on a sandstone crack). It was actually enjoyable, believe it or not!

I just TRed this route and it was prefect hands the entire way. In the depths of the offwidth there are still good hand jams. The crux is the last 8 feet or so where the crack slims down to thin hands. It's a great route and it's easier than The Red Warrior and Pig Lloyd which are both rated 5.9+. My partner Ryan lead it with nothing larger than a #3 Camalot. Super fun route!